I think that time may be nigh.
I'm pretty sure Bob hasn't eaten in days. if he has, it's just a morsel or two of his favourite dried cat food ( I tried fancy human food, chopped a roast chicken, offered human tuna etc, but although inititally interested, he seems unable to eat )
He drinks well, is weeing in the cat box, cleans himself ( although with his muscles wasting, he sometimes falls over.. or stumbles.. doing so ) and purrs when patted.
However, he has confined himself to one room of the house, seems confused, perhaps senile, is suddenly hard-of-hearing, and basically sleeps all day.
Bobby is 18 human-years old. This makes him 126 cat years old.
The week before last, he sunned himself on the deck, stretched sexily in sunbeams, dug & toileted in my garden ( grr! ) and basically was his cat self. This change is sudden, and his decline is rapid.
We fully expected him to fall asleep last week and not wake up .. but he's too strong for all that ( in all the years we've known him - as we adopted him as a stray - he's had only one front tooth and feline aids. The vet said his skin was almost leather from scar tissue from his street-fightin' days )
So i'm thinking maybe the decision will be mine.
It also means we can all be there - a day taken off school. It would be a hard day.
Bob is our last cat, and he outlived the other ( younger ) two.
Tough stuff.
I'm just not sure how humane it is to allow a pet to survive on water alone, even if he is still 'functioning'.
He weighs as much as a kitten.
Not that you can tell.
The above image was only taken last week.
My mum said I looked sad.
I said 'I am sad'
We're all sad.
Tissue city here.
xx
20 comments:
It's so hard but I think if he's not eating anymore ... but if he's happy ... but ... I have no answer, only tissues & tears for you & Bob.
That is such a beautiful photograph.
It's a hard decision to make and even harder not to.You'll know thr ight time in your heart.So sorry.
(hugs & tissues)
Our old cat just took himself off one day after a decline like that. He knew he was ready and went under the neighbours' house to die. Broke my heart, but he knew. I doorknocked everyone trying to find his body so we could bury him but that never happened because he was under a house we didn't find him in time, so I guess he just chose his final resting place. I guess you have to decide whether you want family closure nice and tidy for the boys to deal with, or just let him find his own way out. Either is fine, if he's not in pain.
Oh man.
Oh. I think you know when it's time.
It's an awful thing and of course it breaks your heart, but you've done right by Bob for 18 years and you'll do right by him now.
Hugs & kisses. Tears here now. Lots in fact.
XX
=(
You know what you have to do.
What a sad uncertain time for you all. Bob has been lucky to have been so long with such a caring family. And, gorgeous photo too!
You know when it's time.
It's the last kindness we can do for them. It's actually a very beautiful way to go.
It's time I'm afraid. It's the best thing for Bob. After living such a great life it is sad to see them suffer at the end. We had to do the same a few years ago. It was very sad but necessary.
Hugs for your family.
Oh what a tough time. My beloved cat declined quickly but survived much longer than we expected him to. He did lose weight but he was still happy, just like you describe. The turning point was when he really was unable to keep himself clean. The morning before Dad was due to take him to his appointment, he wandered into the garden and went to sleep and didn't wake up. Our family was scattered all over the world and he was much mourned. I will be thinking of your family because I really do understand xx
Oh shite! Mmm, cat lover or not, that's a very sad situation and a tough decision to make. Sounds like you know what you need to do though. Thinking of you....
Hugs sweetie. Our old cat was 17, and like Sarah's cat ventured off to her favourite place in the garden, the day before the appointment and went into her eternal sleep.
I hope Bob does the same and you don't have to make that decision xxx
You poor things. I loved a cat for 18 years too. A beautiful fluffy little thing. She declined in the same way as Bob. We took her to the vet and when he described how her body was shutting down and what it feels like for them...the decision was made. May the journey ahead be buffered by long, furry cuddles, last beautiful photographs (such as the one above) and lots of fond memories. x
I think you just know.
Either way is so sad, but at the vet you can probably hold him right up to the end which might be comforting for both of you.
Thinking of you both.
xj
Gorgeous photo, what a beautiful keepsake you will have when the time comes.
It really sucks to be an adult. I'm so sorry that you're having to make decisions like this, but I know you'll ultimately know just what to do.
Hugs. Biggest hugs. losing a friend, no matter what the species is so very hard and having to make the decision harder still.
Thinking of you and your boys and Bob too.
I feel so sad for you all. I, though, don't think I could do it, I couldn't make that call.
Unless he is in pain and clearly distressed, I would let him go in his own time in the place he knows as home. With his family.
:(
You'll know the right thing to do.
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